Difference between revisions of "Wolfen"

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The Wolf rules the wilderness and haunts the imagination of men since the dawn of time.
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The largest groups of wolfen are the sedentary packs. United
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The wolfen are the fiercest predators on Aarklash.
+
by an orally transmitted culture and a territory they believe to
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Born from the union of Yllia, the moon goddess, and the
+
be sacred, they raise stone circles and protect locations blessed
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most majestic of all wolves, they roam their vast hunting
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by Yllia, the moon goddess. These known sanctuaries hold great
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grounds and travel the Paths of Destiny with great confidence. Guided by their instincts and proud of their ancient
+
powers. Some of these places have long been abandoned, but
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traditions, the wolfen have always stood against the corruption brought by the civilizations of Light and Darkness.
+
some are still inhabited, living testimony to the evolution and
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The Wolf is the guardian of nature and it makes sure the
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history of the wolfen.
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law of the strongest is enforced.
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Sedentary packs consider themselves the guardians of these
 +
sacred territories, but also the keepers of the wildlife thriving
 +
there. They are also in charge of making sure magical beings
 +
find shelter in their territory.
 +
Due to their similar ways and traditions, they also harbor in
 +
their ranks some fighters from the forest sprite communities.
 +
These creatures may be frail sylvan animæs or fayrees, but they
 +
share the will of the wolfen to preserve their habitat and to cooperate to fight the forces threatening Creation.
  
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Much like their wolf cousins, the wolfen live in packs.
+
The wolfen assemble large stone circles in the middle of which
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Some of these packs, the sedentary packs, share huge territories in the middle of which mysterious stone circles stand.
+
they gather to make their most important decisions and to
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These sanctuaries, standing testimony to the apparition
+
commune with the moon goddess. The stones are often carved
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of the moon goddess and used as celestial observatories,
+
with ancient runes meant to reinforce the pack’s bond with the
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are at the heart of Wolf culture: these places are where the
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moon or to dictate the founding principals of wolfen culture.
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wolfen celebrate their rites, where they share their secrets
+
On the ribbons of whispers, the shamans and the faithful
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and where they bury their dead. Few are those allowed to
+
sew runes telling long mysterious stories or containing powerful spells. These ribbons are revered symbols that also reinforce
−
approach without triggering the ire of the wolfen. Any trespassing is considered a declaration of war.
+
the word of Yllia.
 +
At the limits of their territories the wolfen leave marks on the
 +
bark of trees with their claws or tie small fetishes to the lower
 +
branches. They are designed to mark out borders, but also serve
 +
as a warning to any intruders who would dare to set foot in wolfen territory without their consent.
 +
 
 +
Having to deal with the technological advance of the other
 +
peoples of the continent, the wolfen have no choice but to augment what nature gave them with tools and weapons. However, though some of these artifacts may contain metal, they are mostly composed of natural elements. Indeed, the wolfen loathe
 +
any sign of the Craftsman and anything they are forced to make
 +
from metal is rudimentary and used as little as possible. This
 +
craft and these weapons are considered primitive or coarse by
 +
the most advanced nations, yet such tools have taken the lives of
 +
many confident enemies.
  
 
Long before they became powerful warriors, the wolfen
 
Long before they became powerful warriors, the wolfen
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== In ancient times ==
 
== In ancient times ==
 +
 +
''Wolf's alphabet''
 +
 +
http://i.imgur.com/uIsFQtU.png?1.png
  
 
Thousands of years ago, Instinct gave birth to trees, plants
 
Thousands of years ago, Instinct gave birth to trees, plants
Line 130: Line 153:
 
form. She did not see the disorientated wolf make it back to
 
form. She did not see the disorientated wolf make it back to
 
his pack.
 
his pack.
 +
 +
http://img4.hostingpics.net/pics/507108wolfen0.png
  
 
'''The children of Yllia'''
 
'''The children of Yllia'''
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called it Môrn in memory of the
 
called it Môrn in memory of the
 
intense emotion his fight had caused during the Battle of Aureus.
 
intense emotion his fight had caused during the Battle of Aureus.
 +
 +
http://img15.hostingpics.net/pics/334302wolff5.png
  
 
== The Dawn of a New World ==
 
== The Dawn of a New World ==
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== The Golden Age ==
 
== The Golden Age ==
 +
 +
From 50 to 600 years after the Winter of Battles, a number
 +
of peoples experienced unprecedented developments. Cities
 +
were multiplying and new territories were conquered. Nations organized and prospered. The civilized nations began to
 +
reach wolfen territories and started pushing them away. This
 +
period was marked by the beginning of some major struggles
 +
between the wolfen and the other peoples of Aarklash.
 +
When the people of Kel began to spread across the lands of
 +
Avagddu, its path was bound to cross that of the wolfen at some point. Hunting the same prey and seeking
 +
the same resources, Kelt barbarians and wolfen packs
 +
ended up fighting for them. Though violent, the struggle between the two peoples was rarely fatal. With
 +
these encounters the wolfen grew to respect the wild
 +
character of these men and the fury they displayed
 +
when they fought.
 +
During one of these battles, a wolfen pack leader
 +
who had struck down a powerful barbarian champion
 +
observed the war paints covering his opponent’s inanimate body. Impressed by the ardor his challenger
 +
had shown, the wolfen reproduced these paints on
 +
himself. When his brothers asked him why he had
 +
done it, he claimed that by doing so he had taken his
 +
enemy’s strength and had thus become even stronger.
 +
It wasn’t long before more wolfen imitated him. This
 +
practise spread from pack to pack, becoming a battle
 +
rite during which each wolfen would cover himself in
 +
tribal paints before any fight. The more warlike took
 +
it even further, making these markings permanent,
 +
since for them life was a battle.
 +
And it is because life was a battle that the wolfen do
 +
not see this period as a Golden Age.
 +
 +
'''The Beast of Dracynrän'''
 +
 +
South of Aarklash in the Behemoth Mountain range
 +
stood a stone monument in which slumbered some terrible powers. A worg named Kelrys discovered it and
 +
recognized a sign of Yllia. Shaped like a wolf ’s head, the
 +
place oozed with supernatural forces and the worg chose
 +
to become its keeper. In time it drew more wolfen, who
 +
settled in the area and raise a stone circle. Humans soon
 +
came to call this nexus the Beast of Dracynrän. The discovery of this stele by a young nation called the Kingdom
 +
of Alahan was to have terrible consequences.
 +
This event did not go unheard and it encouraged more
 +
packs to lock destructive power stones inside their stone circles. They would then be able to unleash this power whenever
 +
they needed it. Many packs still hold nexuses similar to that of
 +
Dracynrän and they make sure they are well kept.
 +
 +
== The Age of Steel ==
 +
 +
This age corresponds to the time of the alliances and preparations for the Rag’narok. During this period, Darkness reappeared, threatening to destroy the Ways of Light. Some wolfen
 +
packs that had more foresight than others formed bonds of
 +
friendship with the Daïkinee elves. Both peoples shared the
 +
same adoration of nature and watched over its protection.
 +
The early ties that were established convinced the Daïkinee
 +
to send an emissary to the stone circle of Môrn in order to
 +
seal a durable alliance with the wolfen. For many weeks the
 +
children of Yllia maintained communications between Quithayran and the forest of Diisha.
 +
 +
After having thought it out thoroughly, Ekynox sent out
 +
a message agreeing to receive a Daïkinee delegation. Only
 +
Vargn, a worg from the Path of Opal, remained doubtful. In
 +
his eyes the wolfen were to rule Aarklash alone and no other
 +
people was worthy of sharing their glory. Agreeing to ally with
 +
another people ought to be a sign of weakness. Vargn shared his views with other packs and rallied several partisans.
 +
However, Ekynox had made his decision and was not about
 +
to go back on it.
 +
When the Daïkinee ambassador and his entourage set foot
 +
in the forest of Diisha, they were attacked by Vargn and his
 +
partisans. Fortunately for the envoy, Ekynox had been warned
 +
and flew to the elves’ rescue. Refusing to shed the blood of his
 +
kind, he bound the rebels in chains and ordered them to be
 +
marched to the great island north of Diisha.
 +
There, the culprits were condemned to bear their chains forever and forbidden to leave the island at any time. The island
 +
became known as the Isle of Vargn and wolfen were forbidden
 +
to visit it. Everyone had to be aware that it was now the prison
 +
for traitors.
 +
After this incident Ekynox escorted the Daïkinee elves back
 +
to the Emerald forest where an alliance was sealed between both peoples. This alliance is still relevant today.
 +
Around the same time, several packs went to war against
 +
the Meanders of Darkness, reacting violently against any aggression or intrusion on their territories.
 +
 +
http://img4.hostingpics.net/pics/673928wolfen.png
 +
 +
'''The tragedy of the Throne of Stars'''
 +
 +
Established south of the forest of Caer Mnà, the Throne of
 +
Stars was always led by warlike and fierce warlords who never
 +
showed any pity for their enemies. This sedentary pack earned its reputation for savagery when in 617, led by Y’Anrylh, it
 +
encircled a Kelt village built close to their territory and massacred every inhabitant.
 +
Fuelled by this victory, Y’Anrilh sowed terror wherever his
 +
gaze looked. Guided by a predatory instinct like no other before
 +
him, he and his pack showed no mercy under any circumstances. The ribbons of whispers claim that his crimes have barred
 +
him from ever resting in peace and that his blood-smeared
 +
hands were now those of an Immortal. Yet when he disappeared, his descendants kept terrorizing the other peoples.
 +
In 990, a new leader made people speak of the pack again.
 +
Killyox imposed himself as a ferocious and stern alpha. In order to rid himself of his most dangerous rival, he accepted into his pack a young female magician named
 +
Irix, in exchange for Kassar’s departure. Irix was the
 +
sole survivor of her previous pack.
 +
When Vile-Tis returned to Aarklash in 999, Managarn, a powerful she-wolfen and descendant of
 +
Y’Anrylh, went to meet the Beast and fell for his revelations. The best warriors of the Throne of Stars
 +
challenged her to end the shame she had brought on
 +
the pack. Unfortunately, it was with great viciousness
 +
resulting from the revelations of Vile-Tis that Manargarm brought each one of them to their knees before
 +
finishing them off.
 +
So, having lost its best defenders, the stone circle
 +
found itself unable to stand against the assaults of
 +
Darkness. As far as any wolfen can remember, no
 +
one could have predicted the extreme violence of
 +
the Battle of the Throne of Stars. Even the power of
 +
the children of Yllia failed to resist the alliance of
 +
the minions of Acheron and the chthonian creatures
 +
haunting the entrails of Aarklash. The necromancer
 +
Azaël the Unfaithful, accompanied by Melmoth the
 +
skull warrior and Azahir the Demented (a dwarf
 +
possessed by demonic powers), led an unbelievably
 +
gruesome hunt through the forest of the Throne of
 +
Stars. Though stronger than each of these cursed
 +
souls, Killyox failed against their combined forces.
 +
He barely managed to escape the grasp of the necromancer and fled as far as possible from the stone circle, already craving revenge. At least he had not been turned into a puppet in the hands of the Meanders of
 +
Darkness.
 +
Azaël marched out of the stone circle leading a pack
 +
of wolfen zombies, but their leader had escaped her.
 +
Killyox, Onyx and Irix, the only survivors, scattered, but not before swearing to gain revenge someday. After such
 +
a humiliating defeat, Onyx set out to gather more wolfen to
 +
raise the stone circle again. As for Killyox, some wolfen claim
 +
to have seen him join other pariahs and found a nomadic pack
 +
after discovering a passage leading to an Unfi nished Realm
 +
guarded by a sihir of Water.
 +
 +
== The Rag'Narok ==
 +
 +
'''The Goblin vermin'''
 +
 +
To the west, the wolfen were also forced to contain the expansionist dreams of the goblins of No-Dan-Kar who kept
 +
plundering the resources of the forest. This selfish people made
 +
constant intrusion attempts, trying to establish colonies further
 +
and further inside wolfen territory. Anywhere they went, groves
 +
of proud and strong trees were turned into foul soggy swamps
 +
which only made the goblin expansion easier.
 +
The wolfen packs still present in the region decided that ferocious protection had to be established and that each time the
 +
enemy crossed the line he had to pay a high cost for his boldness.
 +
The goblins had to be taught their limits. However, the density of the terrain and the lack of visibility
 +
forced the packs to increase the number of sentinels. By doing this these fighters learned to move faster than the
 +
rest of the pack and they soon developed strategies to lead the enemy into
 +
ambushes where certain death was all
 +
he could expect. Very recently, a worg
 +
made a name for himself during one of
 +
these battles. Leaping out of nowhere,
 +
he dashed right at the heart the goblin
 +
forces, tearing them to shreds with his
 +
claws. His fury was so impressive that
 +
the sons of Rat immediately sounded
 +
an early retreat.
 +
When his wits came back to him,
 +
the worg presented himself as one of
 +
the fi rst sons from Yllia’s litter. He told
 +
them that back then the wolfen had
 +
fought the Craftsman and that they
 +
were there to remind the other peoples that their strength was their instinct and their wild nature. The worg’s
 +
intentions were clear and none of the
 +
pack leaders around him contested
 +
his authority. The packs living west of
 +
Diisha were gathered into one great
 +
army. Their leader’s name was Ellyox,
 +
the scourge of No-Dan-Kar!
 +
The wolfen are on their way, and
 +
no one can tell what their future
 +
will be!
 +
 +
'''The spawn of devastation'''
 +
 +
With the beginning of the Rag’narok, many packs saw a number of their
 +
members go into exile and form bands of
 +
pariahs. These wolfen, mostly the younger generation, showed a great deal of
 +
cruelty and savagery to their enemies.
 +
From the pack’s point of view these wolfen
 +
have forgotten the share of conscience that
 +
is in them and they obey only their primal
 +
instincts; they have no goal and no faith in
 +
Yllia.
 +
The savagery they are capable of has
 +
reached such levels that these rogue
 +
bands do not hesitate to clash with other
 +
packs. They have no respect for boundaries or for the traditions of their people
 +
anymore.
 +
The leaders and the faithful are worried having to let so many of this young
 +
generation go. They fear the consequences it will have now that the Rag’narok is
 +
gaining momentum and that the wolfen need all their warriors more than ever.
 +
 +
'''The New Hunt'''
 +
 +
The return of Vile-Tis in 999 also had
 +
repercussions on the wolfen and their involvement in the Rag’narok. While Ellis
 +
and his followers had fallen for the revelations of the Beast, Valkaris, a prowler always
 +
on the move, met Asgarh and the pack of the
 +
Path of Opal, north of Diisha. There they discussed the Rag’narok and the concerns they
 +
had.
 +
Ever vigilant, Ekynox had convinced his
 +
son Asgarh, a powerful pack leader with worg
 +
blood running through his veins, to gather the
 +
sacred weapons of Yllia and lead the wolfen
 +
people into battle.
 +
After having spoken to the various faithful
 +
of the pack, Asgarh joined the leaders Elhyr
 +
and Karnyrax. Together they united their
 +
packs under a single banner. They exhorted
 +
their kind to never give up the fight against
 +
the Craftsman and reminded them that they
 +
had the powers of nature on their side: they
 +
had instinct!
 +
During the winter solstice of 1007 Ekynox,
 +
who had not spoken for a long time, addressed
 +
his brothers and children. More than fi fteen
 +
packs had gathered that night, and everyone in
 +
the meeting listened with care to what the First
 +
Born had to say.
 +
 +
After this great gathering, the pack split into three
 +
combat groups, each one led by a powerful warlord.
 +
The first group set out to the west. Its mission was
 +
to end the goblins’ expansion. It was then to wheel
 +
southwards to the Emerald forest. There it would
 +
support the wolfen’s elven allies against the threat
 +
of the Forest of Webs.
 +
The second group travelled east. Its objective was
 +
simple: eradicate the chthonian army and then the
 +
Syhar army.
 +
Once the preparations had been made, the children of Yllia walked out of the forest in battle order.
 +
As far back as humanity could remember, never had
 +
such a gathering of wolfen been witnessed before.
 +
The children of Yllia were going to war and Aarklash
 +
was going to live the bloodiest hours of its history.
 +
The first group led by Asgarh and Irix soon changed objective. Irix convinced Asgarh to rescue de
 +
goblins who were surrounded by the Meanders of
 +
Darkness. After having bravely defended the Empire of No-Dan-Kar, the group headed south to exterminate the Devourers of Caer-Laern, the Temple of the North and why not the Kingdom of Alahan if
 +
they had the momentum.
 +
Their travels have already led them to fight the
 +
devourers, as well as the soldiers of Akkylannie.
 +
The more they fight, the greater the aura of Asgarh
 +
grows. Confidence shines in his eyes and he no longer hesitates when he needs to become the guide of
 +
his brothers. Bearing the three precious artefacts
 +
offered by Yllia, he is now convinced that his destiny
 +
and that of his people is in motion and that the only
 +
possible outcome is victory.

Latest revision as of 14:46, 26 June 2013

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